Phillies Place Luzardo on IL With Shoulder Inflammation — SkimNews
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- Jesús Luzardo was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Saturday with left shoulder inflammation, three days after being scratched from a start at Atlanta
- Luzardo is eligible to return Sept. 27, the final day of the regular season, after an MRI on Saturday showed no serious issues; he did not throw Sunday or Monday
- The Phillies hold the second NL wild card, a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs and one game up on the San Diego Padres, making Luzardo's absence arrive in the tightest stretch of the playoff race
- Luzardo is 14-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 221 strikeouts (second in the NL) in 29 starts, and threw a two-hit complete-game shutout against Atlanta on Sept. 7 in his last outing
- Interim manager Don Mattingly said the medical staff believed Luzardo was better Tuesday but not as far along as they would like, adding no one worries this extends into next year
- The Phillies recalled right-hander Grant Holman from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill the roster spot; Holman gave up five unearned runs while recording one out in his only previous Phillies appearance this season
Why it matters: The Phillies lose a 14-5 All-Star with a 2.87 ERA — and NL's No. 2 strikeout pitcher — for at least two starts while clinging to the second wild card by a half-game. If Luzardo can't return Sept. 27, Philadelphia risks entering the playoffs without its ace in a rotation that suddenly looks thin.
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